Max Wober continues to impress in a Leeds United shirt following his arrival from RB Salzburg in the January transfer window.
Leeds swooped to sign Wober for a reported £11m fee in the January transfer window, with the Austria international going on to feature 10 times in the Premier League since his arrival.
The expectation was that Wober would solve Leeds’ left-back issues under Jesse Marsch, yet it’s at centre-back where he is thriving – a position he has continued to play since Javi Gracia was appointed as Marsch’s successor.
How is Wober getting on with Leeds?
On Saturday, Wober impressed once more for Leeds, picking up the club’s official Player of the Match after a 4-2 win against Wolves.
Our writers Kris (FA5) and Alfie (N12) discuss his impact here:
I think the biggest compliment you can give Wöber on his start at Leeds is how settled he has made the rest of the back four look around him.
We knew that we were getting a leader when he joined from Red Bull Salzburg, but just how that translated to this team was unclear.
The fact that Junior Firpo is now looking every bit the £13million man we thought he was when he joined says so much, and it’s down to having a steady guide next to him.
His reading of the game is brilliant, and while he was unlucky to deflect Matheus Cunha’s goal in for 3-2 against Wolves, that came alongside a whopping eight clearances and two other blocks.
At just 25, Leeds have a captain in the making with the Austrian.
Is Maximilian Wöber a good signing?
Yes
No
Wober’s task when arriving was solving the club’s issues at left-back, something he’s managed to do without actually playing there. That’s quite a remarkable achievement when you think about it.
Slotting into the side at left centre-back, he’s a composed figure, has an ability to read the game and communicate with the teammates alongside him. That’s all helped bring the best out of Junior Firpo, who actually looks like a settled left-back option for Gracia now.
Another compliment you can pay Wober is that he’s keeping Liam Cooper out of the side. Cooper has been injured for a spell, of course, but Leeds have often rushed him back for the sheer fact that they’ve needed him in tough situations like the one they are in. Wober’s form at centre-back does make you question whether Cooper is going to get back in.
He is brave with his defending and gets himself in the way of plenty, whilst he wins plenty of duels aerially and on the ground. The Austrian’s passing is very good and, going back to an earlier point, he’s a very good communicator and is very much the glue holding the back-four together.
On the evidence of what we’ve seen so far, he’s a captain without the armband. At 25-years-old, it might not be long before that changes. £11m is a real snip, too.